A defense lawyer penned a court-ordered essay to stay out of jail while working on the YSL RICO case.
According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, attorney Eric Johnson faced 20 days behind bars for leaving the court without permission. Judge Ural Glanville offered Johnson the opportunity to write a research paper as an alternative punishment.
The lawyer had to write about “the importance of professionalism in the legal field.” He submitted his research paper to the court on Friday (April 28).
Johnson represents Christian Eppinger, one of Young Thug’s co-defendants in the YSL RICO case. Eppinger, Young Thug and other YSL members continue to wait for their trial to begin.
Jury selection started in January. No jurors were seated over the past four months.
Last month, Young Thug requested bond for a fourth time since his 2022 arrest. His attorney Brian Steel asked the judge to reconsider a pre-trial release due to the slow-moving court proceedings.
“[Young Thug] has been languishing in the County Jail without bond,” Steel argued. “[He] has previously put forth compelling evidence, without doubt, that conditions can be imposed which permit bond to be set.”
The rapper and various YSL members were indicted on RICO charges in 2022. Young Thug maintains his innocence.